Commercial Finance Business Partner

Career Legal; Greater London; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent law firm in the UK is seeking a Commercial Finance Business Partner to enhance the understanding of financial performance within the organization. The role involves detailed financial analysis to support strategic decision-making and improve profit drivers. Candidates should have a strong background in financial analysis, advanced Excel skills, and a qualification in accounting. This position offers opportunities to engage with key stakeholders and contribute to the overall financial strategy of the firm.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in a legal sector role or other partnership structure is desirable.
• Ability to identify profit drivers and improvement opportunities through P&L analysis.
• Experience working with stakeholders and proven skills in problem-solving.

Responsibilities

• Support senior stakeholders to encourage strategic direction of the division.
• Review performance, prepare forecasts, and monitor against budgets.
• Assist in identifying financial issues and efficiency opportunities.

Skills

Financial analysis

Stakeholder management

Critical thinking

Advanced Excel skills

Collaboration

Education

Qualified accountant (CIMA / ACCA / ACA)

Tools

Microsoft Power BI

3e or similar practice management system

Job description

Our client is a law firm with offices located in the UK, Europe, and the Middle East. Their aim is to become the leading law firm combining specialist business law and private wealth advice internationally. They have over 1000 staff, which includes over 150 Partners and approximately 40 employees within the Finance team.

They are currently looking for a Commercial Finance Business Partner. This role will provide detailed analysis to improve understanding of the financial performance of fee‑earning departments and assist in commercial decision-making, carrying out detailed financial modelling and written commentary.

Responsibilities

• Support senior stakeholders both within and outside of Finance to encourage and support the strategic direction of the division.
• Regularly review actual performance, prepare forecasts/projections, and monitor against business plans and budgets.
• Support in the preparation of investment appraisals / business case analysis for recruitments, lateral hires and promotions.
• Assist in identifying any financial issues and efficiency opportunities to enable the practice groups to undertake profit improvement initiatives.
• Attend and engage with regular department meetings to ensure depth of knowledge of each department is maintained.
• Support discussions of financial performance, proactively challenging issues, driving through change and gaining commercial insight.
• Monitoring and managing key financial targets (e.g., billing, chargeable hours, recovery, and profitability).
• Assist the production of monthly management information pack including KPI's and divisional commentaries.
• Assist the budgeting and planning cycles for fee‑earning departments.
• Work with the Business Intelligence team to support profitability analysis at client, matter, work type, partner and fee earner level.
• Ad‑hoc financial analysis and project work, analysing and understanding underlying financial data.
• Assist in the overall improvement of understanding of financial KPI's and performance across the business.
• Work closely with the Business Intelligence team to help improve overall financial understanding of the business.
• Establish relationships with key stakeholders such as DMPs, HoGs and support teams (HR, Business Development and Finance).
• Collaboration with HR, including recruitment plans, business plans, forecasting headcount for budgets and targets, capacity management, salary review and bonuses, space planning, promotions and ad‑hoc reviews of teams and individuals.

Candidate Profile

• Previous experience in a legal sector role or other partnership structure is desirable but not essential.
• Ability to identify profit drivers and improvement opportunities through the analysis of P&L.
• Experience working with, and finance business partnering with, stakeholders across the business and have proven abilities in critically assessing detailed analysis and problem solving.
• Qualified accountant (CIMA / ACCA / ACA).
• Highly advanced Excel skills.
• Significant experience of using 3e, or other similar practice management system.
• Knowledge or willingness to learn to use new tools (e.g. Microsoft Power BI).